The Next Top Model is a Greek reality television show that forms part of the Top Model series. Greek supermodel Vicky Kaya (Greek: Βίκυ Καγιά) assumes the role of Tyra Banks from the original series as the head of the search as well as a mentor for the contestants. The first cycle premiered on October 12, 2009.
The basic premise of the series is a group of young female contestants who live together in a house for several weeks while taking part in various challenges, photo shoots and meetings with members of the modeling industry. Normally, one poor-performing contestant is eliminated each week until the last contestant remaining is declared "The Next Top Model" and receives a modeling contract along with other associated prizes.
The winner of the first cycle was 20-year-old, Seraina Kazamia from Crete, Greece.
The second cycle premiered on October 11, 2010.
Next Top Model contains approximately eighteen episodes and has started with eighteen contestants. At the end of most episodes, one contestant is eliminated. In rare cases a double elimination or no elimination is given by consensus of the judging panel.
Makeovers are administered to contestants early in the season (usually after the first or second elimination in the finals) and a trip to one or more international destinations is scheduled nearer the end of the cycle when a few girls remain in the competition.
Each episode of Next Top Model covers the events of roughly a week of real time and features a fashion challenge, photo shoot, a critique of each contestant and her performance by the judging panel lead by Vicky Kaya, and the elimination of one or more contestants.
The panel includes the former model Jenny Balatsinou, fashion designer Christoforos Kontentos and noted photographer Charis Christopoulos. Each episode is usually associated with a theme in the world of modelling the girls need to excel due to become a successful fashion model.
An episode usually begins with the contestants receiving training in an area concurrent with the week's theme. For example, contestants may get coached in runway walking, posing or applying make-up to suit various occasions. A related challenge soon follows and a winner is chosen by a judge. She receives some sort of prize and she is usually allowed to share the benefits with a certain number of other contestants of her choice.
The next segment is a photo shoot, and each contestant's performance will reflect heavily on her judging for that week. It features photo shoots such as bikini shots, beauty shots and posing in extreme circumstances.
The final segment of each episode is judging. A panel of judges fronted by the host and a number of fashion "experts" assessed task performance and potential. Each contestant's photo is then shown and evaluated by the judging panel. After all photos have been evaluated, the contestants leave the room as the judges deliberate. The elimination process is ceremonious, as one by one the host reveals and hands out the photos of the contestants that have not been eliminated, in order of merit, occasionally saying something to, "Congratulations. You are still in the running to becoming "The Next Top Model". The last two contestants who have not received their photos are brought up as "the bottom two" and the host critiques each one before revealing which of the two has been eliminated.
